Westminster Abbey » Charles Darwin Burial Date: 26 Apr, 1882 Field: Scientist; writer Location in the Abbey: Nave, north choir aisle Type of memorial: Grave; bust Type of material: Bronze Charles Robert Darwin, naturalist, is buried in the north aisle of the nave of Westminster Abbey, not far from Sir Isaac Newton . He was born in Shrewsbury on 12 February 1809, son of Robert Waring Darwin (1766-1848) and Susannah, daughter of Josiah Wedgwood. He studied with his brother Erasmus at Edinburgh University but disliked the idea of following in his father's footsteps as a doctor. At Cambridge University he became very much interested in natural history and sailed on the ship HMS Beagle in 1831 to South America and the Galapagos islands. In 1839 he married his cousin Emma Wedgwood and they went to live at Downe, a small village in Kent. His famous work "The Origin of Species by natural selection" was published in 1859 and he continued working although his health was often poor.

He died at Down House on 19 April 1882. Burial The Dean of Westminster, George Granville Bradley, was away in France when he received a telegram forwarded from the President of the Royal Society in London saying "…it would be acceptable to a very large number of our fellow-countrymen of all classes and opinions that our illustrious countryman, Mr Darwin, should be buried in Westminster Abbey". The Dean recalled " I did not hesitate as to my answer and telegraphed direct…that my assent would be cheerfully given". The body lay overnight in the Abbey, in the small chapel of St Faith, and on the morning of 26 April the coffin was escorted by the family and eminent mourners into the Abbey. The pall-bearers included Sir Joseph Hooker, Alfred Russel Wallace , James Russell Lowell (U.S. Ambassador), and William Spottiswoode (President of the Royal Society). The burial service was held in the Lantern, conducted by Canon Prothero, with anthems sung by the choir.

The chief mourners then followed the coffin into the north aisle of the Nave where Darwin was buried next to the eminent scientist Sir John Herschel, and a few feet away from Sir Isaac Newton. The simple inscription on his gravestone, which is of pale Carrara marble, reads "CHARLES ROBERT DARWIN BORN 12 FEBRUARY 1809. DIED 19 APRIL 1882". Although an agnostic, Darwin was greatly respected by his contemporaries and the Bishop of Carlisle, Harvey Goodwin, in a memorial sermon preached in the Abbey on the Sunday following the funeral, said "I think that the interment of the remains of Mr Darwin in Westminster Abbey is in accordance with the judgment of the wisest of his countrymen…It would have been unfortunate if anything had occurred to give weight and currency to the foolish notion which some have diligently propagated, but for which Mr Darwin was not responsible, that there is a necessary conflict between a knowledge of Nature and a belief in God…". A later, widely believed, rumour of a "deathbed conversion" to Christianity was denied by his daughter, who was actually present at his death.

Memorial bust A bronze memorial, with a life-sized relief bust, was erected by his family in the north choir aisle, near to the grave, in 1888. The sculptor was Sir J.E. Boehm. The inscription just says simply DARWIN. Photos of the grave and memorial can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library Further reading: AboutDarwin.com - Darwin's Burial Charles Robert Darwin died on April 19, 1882 at around 4:00 in the afternoon at his home in Kent. His funeral was held on April 26 on a Wednesday at Westminster Abbey. It was attended by scientists, philosophers, naturalists, admirals, and dignitaries of all sorts. Among the thousands of people attending his funeral were Joseph Parslow, his servant and lifetime friend, as well as Mrs. Evens, the household cook.

The pall bearers at Darwin's funeral were: George Campbell - The 9th Duke of Argyll William Cavendish - The 7th Duke of Devonshire Edward Henry Stanley - The 15th Earl of Derby James Russell Lowell - The American Ambassador to Britain William Spottiswoode - Mathematician, physicist, the Queen's Printer, and friend of Darwin Joseph Dalton Hooker - Darwin's close friend and champion of his Theory of Evolution Thomas Henry Huxley - Darwin's close friend and champion of his Theory of Evolution Alfred Russel Wallace - Darwin's friend and the co-founder of Natural Selection Sir John Lubbock - The 1st Baron of Avebury, Darwin's next door neighbor and close friend Here is a map that shows how to find Westminster Abbey in London, England: Contrary to popular belief, Charles Darwin was not buried next to Isaac Newton. As you can see on the map below, however, he was buried very close to Newton. Darwin was actually buried next to his good friend Sir John Herschel.

The zoomed-in circle shows whose graves or memorial plaques are near Charles Darwin: 1 = Charles Darwin (grave) Charles Robert Darwin (1809 - 1882) - Find A Grave Memorial Downe Greater London, England English Naturalist, Scientist, and Philosopher. He is best remembered for his book "On the Origin of Species," published in 1859, that established all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding. While controversial, due to its departure from the religious view of creationism, by the 1870s the scientific community and much of the general public had accepted evolution as a fact. He was born the fifth of six children in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England at his family home, The Mount. His father was a wealthy society doctor and financier, and both sides of his family were Unitarians.

In July 1818, when he was eight years old, his mother died and the following September he attended the Anglican Shrewsbury School with his older brother Erasmus as a boarder. He spent the summer of 1825 as an apprentice doctor, helping his father treat the poor of Shropshire, before going to the University of Edinburgh Medical School in October of that year, which at the time was the best medical school in Scotland. He found lectures dull and surgery distressing, so neglected his studies and turned his attention to nature. Which he found more fascinating. In 1826 he joined the Plinian Society, a student natural history group whose debates strayed into radical materialism. He assisted Robert Edmond Grant's investigations of the anatomy and life cycle of marine invertebrates in the Firth of Forth, Scotland, and in March 1827 presented at the Plinian his own discovery that black spores found in oyster shells were the eggs of a skate leech. The neglect of his medical studies annoyed his father, who sent him to Christ's College in Cambridge, England, for a Bachelor of Arts degree as the first step towards becoming an Anglican minister.

He was unqualified for the Tripos, so he joined the ordinary degree course in January 1828. His cousin William Darwin Fox introduced him to the popular craze for beetle collecting, which he pursued zealously, getting some of his finds published in Stevens' "Illustrations of British Entomology." He became a close friend and follower of botany professor John Stevens Henslow and met other leading naturalists who saw scientific work as religious natural theology, becoming known as "the man who walks with Henslow". When his own exams drew near, he focused on his studies and was delighted by the language and logic of William Paley's "Evidences of Christianity." In his final examination in January 1831, he did well, coming tenth out of 178 candidates for the ordinary degree. He remained at Cambridge until June 1831, studying books on natural philosophy. In August 1831 he received a letter from Henslow, proposing him as a suitable gentleman naturalist for a self-funded temporary place on the HMS Beagle with Captain Robert FitzRoy, more as a companion than a mere collector.

The ship was to leave in four weeks on an expedition to chart the coastline of South America. His father objected to his son's planned two-year voyage, regarding it as a waste of time, but was persuaded by his brother-in-law, Josiah Wedgwood, to agree to (and fund) his son's participation. After delays, the voyage finally departed Plymouth, England on December 27, 1831 and lasted almost five years. He spent most of that time on land investigating geology and making natural history collections, while the Beagle surveyed and charted coasts. He kept careful notes of his observations and theoretical speculations, and at intervals during the voyage his specimens were sent to Cambridge together with letters including a copy of his journal for his family. He had some expertise in geology, beetle collecting and dissecting marine invertebrates, but in all other areas was a novice and ably collected specimens for expert appraisal. Despite suffering badly from seasickness, he wrote copious notes while on board the ship. When they reached Brazil, he was enthused by the tropical forest, but detested the sight of slavery.

At Bahia Blanca, Argentina, and in cliffs near Punta Alta, he made a major find of fossil bones of huge extinct mammals beside modern seashells, indicating recent extinction with no signs of change in climate or catastrophe. He identified the little known Megatherium by a tooth and its association with bony armor which had at first seemed to him like a giant version of the armor on local armadillos. In Chile, he experienced an earthquake and observed signs that the land had just been raised, including mussel-beds stranded above high tide. High in the Andes Mountains, he saw seashells and several fossil trees that had grown on a sand beach, and theorized that as the land rose, oceanic islands sank, and coral reefs round them grew to form atolls. On the Gal�pagos Islands, he searched for evidence attaching wildlife to an older "center of creation", and found mockingbirds allied to those in Chile but differing from island to island. He heard that slight variations in the shape of tortoise shells showed which island they came from, but failed to collect them, even after eating tortoises taken on board as food.

In Australia, the marsupial rat-kangaroo and the platypus seemed so unusual that he thought it was almost as though two distinct Creators had been at work. He found the indigenous people (Aborigines) "good-humored & pleasant", and noted their depletion as a result of European settlement. The Beagle investigated how the atolls of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands had formed, and the survey supported Darwin's theories. FitzRoy began writing the official "Narrative of the Beagle' voyages, and after reading Darwin's diary he proposed incorporating it into the account. His "Journal" was eventually rewritten as a separate third volume, on natural history. While at Cape Town, South Africa, he met John Herschel, who had recently written to English geologist Charles Lyell, praising his uniformitarianism as opening bold speculation on "that mystery of mysteries, the replacement of extinct species by others" as "a natural in contradistinction to a miraculous process".

When organizing his notes as the ship sailed home, he wrote that if his growing suspicions about the mockingbirds, the tortoises and the Falkland Islands fox were correct, "such facts undermine the stability of Species", then cautiously added "would" before "undermine". He later wrote that such facts "seemed to me to throw some light on the origin of species". When the Beagle finally reached Falmouth, in Cornwall, England on October 2, 1836, he was already a celebrity in scientific circles as in the previous December, Henslow had fostered Darwin's reputation by giving selected naturalists a pamphlet of his geological letters. He visited Henslow at Cambridge, who advised on finding naturalists available to catalogue the collections and agreed to take on the botanical specimens. His father organized investments, enabling his son to be a self-funded gentleman scientist, and he made the rounds of the London institutions, being honored and seeking experts to describe the collections.

In December 1836 he took up residence at Cambridge to organize work on his collections and rewrite his "Journal." He wrote his first paper, showing that the South American landmass was slowly rising, and with Lyell's enthusiastic backing, read it to the Geological Society of London on January 4, 1837. That same day, he presented his mammal and bird specimens to the Zoological Society. The ornithologist John Gould soon announced that the Galapagos birds that Darwin had thought a mixture of blackbirds, "gros-beaks" and finches, were, in fact, twelve separate species of finches. On February 17, 1837 he was elected to the Council of the Geological Society, and Lyell's presidential address presented Owen's findings on Darwin's fossils, stressing geographical continuity of species as supporting his uniformitarian ideas. While rewriting his "Journal," he took on editing and publishing the expert reports on his collections, and with Henslow's help obtained a Treasury grant to sponsor this multi-volume "Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle." He stretched the funding to include his planned books on geology, and agreed unrealistic dates with the publisher.

As a result of the stress from his work, his health suffered from the pressure and in September 1837 he had "an uncomfortable palpitation of the heart," so his doctors urged him to quit working and live in the country for a few weeks and get some much-needed rest before resuming his work. In March 1838 he reluctantly accepted the post of Secretary of the Geological Society. The continued strain of writing and editing his Beagle reports again took its toll on his health and in June 1838 he was laid up for days with stomach and heart problems and headaches, which would plague him for the remainder of his life. The cause of his illness remained unknown, and attempts at treatment had little success. In November 1838 he proposed marriage to his first cousin, Emma Wedgewood at her home, Maer Hall, whom he had met the previous year while recuperating from his first bout of illness. She accepted and they were married there on January 29, 1839 and moved to their new home in London, England, and they would have ten children, two of whom died in infancy.

Five days prior to their wedding, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. In May 1839, FitzRoy's "Narrative" was published which included Darwin's "Journal and Remarks" as its third volume," and it was such a success that later in the year it was published on its own. Early in 1842, he wrote about his ideas of natural selection to Lyell, who noted that his ally "denies seeing a beginning to each crop of species. His book, "The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs" on his theory of atoll formation was published in May 1842 after more than three years of work, and he then wrote his first "pencil sketch" of his theory of natural selection. To escape the pressures of London, the family moved to rural Down House at Downe, Kent, England in September of that year. In 1846 he completed his third geological book. In 1849, in an attempt to improve his chronic ill health, he went to Dr. James Gully's Malvern spa and was surprised to find some benefit from hydrotherapy.

In 1851 his treasured oldest daughter Annie became sick, reawakening his fears that his own condition might be hereditary, and after an extended illness she died. In November 1859 his "On the Origin of Species" went on sale and it proved unexpectedly popular, with the entire stock of 1,250 copies oversubscribed. In the book, he set out "one long argument" of detailed observations, inferences and consideration of anticipated objections. His only allusion to human evolution was the understatement that "light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history". The book aroused international interest, with less controversy than had greeted Scottish journalist Robert Chambers' popular "Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation." The Church of England's response was mixed, with his old Cambridge tutors, Sedgwick and Henslow, dismissing the ideas, but liberal clergymen interpreted natural selection as an instrument of God's design. His close friends still expressed their various reservations but gave strong support, as did many others, particularly the younger naturalists. Darwinism soon became a movement covering a wide range of evolutionary ideas.

In 1863 Lyell's "Geological Evidences of the Antiquity of Man" popularized prehistory, though his caution on evolution disappointed Darwin. Weeks later, Huxley's "Evidence as to Man's Place in Nature" showed that anatomically, humans are apes, then "The Naturalist on the River Amazons" by Henry Walter Bates provided empirical evidence of natural selection. Through intense lobbying, on November 3, 1864 Darwin was awarded England's highest scientific honor, the Royal Society's Copley Medal. Despite repeated bouts of illness during the last twenty-two years of his life, his work continued. Having published "On the Origin of Species" as an abstract of his theory, he pressed on with experiments, research, and writing of his "big book". He covered human descent from earlier animals including evolution of society and of mental abilities, as well as explaining decorative beauty in wildlife and diversifying into innovative plant studies. His 1868 "The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication" was the first part of his planned "big book," and included his unsuccessful hypothesis of pangenesis attempting to explain heredity.

It sold briskly at first, despite its size, and was translated into many languages. He wrote most of a second part, on natural selection, but it remained unpublished in his lifetime. In 1871 he published "The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex" providing evidence from numerous sources that humans are animals, showing continuity of physical and mental attributes, and presented sexual selection to explain impractical animal features such as the peacock's plumage as well as human evolution of culture, differences between sexes, and physical and cultural racial characteristics, while emphasizing that humans are all one species. His research using images was expanded in his 1872 book "The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals," one of the first books to feature printed photographs, which discussed the evolution of human psychology and its continuity with the behavior of animals. Both books proved very popular, and he was pleased by the general assent with which his views had been received.

His evolution-related experiments and investigations led to the books "Insectivorous Plants" (1875), "The Effects of Cross and Self Fertilization in the Vegetable Kingdom" (1876), "The Power of Movement in Plants" (1880), and "The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms" (1881). In 1882 he was diagnosed with what was called "angina pectoris" which then meant coronary thrombosis and disease of the heart. He died at his Down House residence at the age of 73. He had expected to be buried in St Mary's Churchyard at Downe, but at the request of his colleagues, after public and parliamentary petitioning, William Spottiswoode (President of the Royal Society) arranged for him to be interred at Westminster Abbey, in London, close to Sir John Herschel and Sir Isaac Newton. During his lifetime, many geographical features were given his name. An expanse of water adjoining the Beagle Channel near the southern tip of South America was named Darwin Sound. Mount Darwin in the Andes Mountains was named in celebration of his 25th birthday.

When the Beagle was surveying Australia in 1839, his friend John Lort Stokes, sighted a natural harbor which the ship's captain Wickham named Port Darwin. A nearby settlement was renamed Darwin in 1911, and it became the capital city of Australia's Northern Territory. More than 120 species and nine genera have been named after him. Additionally, his work has continued to be celebrated by numerous publications and events. The Linnean Society of London has commemorated Darwin's achievements by the award of the Darwin-Wallace Medal since 1908. Darwin Day has become an annual celebration, and in 2009 worldwide events were arranged for the bicentenary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species. He is commemorated in England, with his portrait printed on the reverse of �10 banknotes printed along with a hummingbird and HMS Beagle, issued by the Bank of England. A life size seated statue of him is located in the main hall of the Natural History Museum in London.

A seated statue of him stands in front of Shrewsbury Library, the building that used to house Shrewsbury School, which he attended as a boy. Darwin College, a postgraduate college at Cambridge University, is named after the Darwin family. (bio by: William Bjornstad) Is it Real? | Crazy Stuff | Science | History | Mystery | Quest for God | Journalism Why is it fitting that Charles Darwin is buried in Westminster Abbey? It may seem ironic that both Charles Darwin and Charles Lyell are buried in the nave of Westminster Abbey, formally known as London’s Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster. They are there, honored in particular for their accomplishments in science. It is fitting, for they have had as so much influence on modern Christian theology just as they have had on modern science. Nature, in an editorial (October, 2009), commented on reactions to Darwin. In England, for example, the Church reacted badly to Darwin’s theory, going so far as to say that to believe it was to imperil your soul. But the notion that Darwin’s ideas ‘killed’ God and were a threat to religion was by no means the universal response in the nineteenth century. . . .

[F]rom Egypt to India, China and Japan, many religious scholars embraced Darwin's ideas, often showing how their own schools of thought had anticipated the notion of evolution. -Editorial from Nature, Volume 461 Number 7268 It is true: some in the Church reacted badly. This was particularly so in the Church of England, part of the Anglican Communion. This is "the Church,” in particular, to which the editors of Nature were is seems referring. But the editors of Nature overstated what happened. Darwin’s theory was more of a culture shock than a religious shock. The distinction is important. It was more about resistance to change than an inability to accommodate evolution within Christianity. Darwin, after a choral funeral service in the Abbey, was buried in a prominent place in the church’s nave at the request of William Spottiswoode, the president of the Royal Society, Britain’s academy of science. The suggestion was warmly welcomed.

Darwin, truly a humble agnostic, was very much admired, and his theory accepted by many in the church including, Harvey Goodwin, the bishop of Carlisle, who on the Sunday following Darwin’s funeral in a sermon preached in the abbey, said: It would have been unfortunate if anything had occurred to give weight and currency to the foolish notion which some have diligently propagated, but for which Mr Darwin was not responsible, that there is a necessary conflict between a knowledge of Nature and a belief in God…. Charles Darwin - Biography of Evolution Scientist Charles Darwin Who Is Charles Darwin?: Charles Darwin is the most famous evolution scientist and often gets credit for coming up with the Theory of Evolution through Natural Selection . Biography: Charles Robert Darwin was born February 12, 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire England to Robert and Susannah Darwin. He was the fifth of six Darwin children. His mother died when he was eight, so he was sent off to boarding school in Shrewsbury where he was a mediocre student at best. Being from an affluent family of doctors, his father sent Charles and his older brother to the University of Edinburgh to study medicine.

However, Charles could not stand the sight of blood and so instead he started studying natural history, which angered his father. He then was sent off to Christ's College in Cambridge to become a clergyman. While studying, he started a beetle collection and kept up his love of nature. His mentor, John Stevens Henslow, recommended Charles as a Naturalist on a voyage with Robert FitzRoy. continue reading below our video 10 Facts About the Titanic That You Don't Know Darwin's famous journey on the HMS Beagle allowed him time to study natural specimens from across the globe and collect some to study back in England. He also read books by Charles Lyell and Thomas Malthus , which influenced his early thoughts on evolution. Upon returning to England in 1838, Darwin married his first cousin Emma Wedgwood and began years of researching and cataloging his specimens. At first, Charles was reluctant to share his findings and ideas about evolution. It wasn't until 1854 that he collaborated with Alfred Russel Wallace to jointly present the idea of evolution and natural selection. The two men were scheduled to present jointly to the Linnaean Society meeting in 1958.

However, Darwin decided to not attend as his precious daughter was gravely ill. She ended up passing away shortly thereafter. Wallace also did not attend the meeting where their research was presented due to other conflicts. Their research was still presented and the scientific world was intrigued by their findings. Darwin officially published his theories in On the Origin of the Species in 1859. He knew his views would be controversial, especially with those who believed heavily in religion, as he was somewhat of a spiritual man himself. His first edition of the book did not talk much about human evolution, but did hypothesize that there was a common ancestor for all life. It wasn't until much later when he published The Descent of Man that Charles Darwin really dove into how humans had evolved. This book was probably the most controversial of all his works. Darwin's work instantly became famous and revered by scientists across the globe. He wrote a few more books on the topic in the remaining years of his life. Charles Darwin died in 1882 and was buried in Westminster Abbey . He was buried as a national hero.

BBC - iWonder - Charles Darwin: Evolution and the story of our species Charles Darwin: Evolution and the story of our species 12 Feb 1809 19 April 1882Darwin dies The man who struggled with his own ideas Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection made us rethink our place in the world. The idea that humans shared a common ancestor with apes was a challenge to the foundations of western civilisation. Darwin kept silent for 20 years before going public and was only half joking when he described writing his book 'On the Origin of Species' as 'like confessing a murder'. This is the story of one man’s struggle with the most radical idea of all time. 12 Feb 1809 Born into a free-thinking family Both of Darwin's grandfathers belonged to the 'Lunar Society': a group of industrialists and Natural Philosophers Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, the fifth of six children of wealthy and well-connected parents. The young Charles had a quietly Christian upbringing, but his family life was one of openness to new ideas.

His grandfathers had both been important figures of the Enlightenment: Josiah Wedgewood, industrialist and anti-slavery campaigner, and Erasmus Darwin, a doctor whose book ‘Zoonomia’ had set out a radical and highly controversial idea - that one species could 'transmute' into another. Would it be too bold to imagine, that all warm-blooded animals have arisen from one living filament...? Darwin's grandfather Erasmus Darwin, from his 1794 book 'Zoonomia' 1825 New ideas in Edinburgh Edinburgh University as Darwin would have known it Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Darwin secured a place at Edinburgh University to study medicine. He did not make a good medic. This was long before anaesthetic, and Darwin found the brutal techniques of surgery too stomach-churning to handle. But there was an upside. Edinburgh was one of the best places in Britain to study science. It attracted free thinkers with radical opinions that would not have been tolerated in Oxford and Cambridge. Among other things, Darwin heard speakers talk about the latest theories of transmutation, as evolution was then known.

Collecting beetles in Cambridge Darwin was an avid collector of beetles Abandoning plans to be a doctor, Darwin now considered a career in the Church. Aged 18, he went to study Divinity at Cambridge. Though he held fairly conventional beliefs in God, Darwin wasn't particularly keen on this new direction. But training to be a clergyman meant he had plenty of time to pursue his real passion: biology. He spent much of his time collecting beetles and walking on the Fens. He graduated in 1831 but before he could take a job as a cleric, the chance of a lifetime would come his way. I saw two rare beetles and seized one in each hand; then I saw a third… I popped the one which I held in my right hand into my mouth. Charles Darwin describes his Cambridge years in his autobiography 1831 Setting sail around the world HMS Beagle was Darwin's home for five years Darwin’s tutor at Cambridge recommended him as a ‘gentleman naturalist’ on a voyage around the world on HMS Beagle. Darwin jumped at the chance. Over the following five years, Darwin visited four continents, spending much of his time on land collecting specimens and investigating the local geology.

He also had long periods with nothing to do but read and reflect. Books such as Charles Lyell's recently published Principles of Geology had a profound impact, making him think about slow processes which occur over vast periods of time. During the trip, Darwin also suffered terrible sea-sickness – the start of a life dogged by illness. The misery I endured from seasickness is beyond what I ever guessed at. Charles Darwin describes his voyage on the Beagle 1835 ...we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact — that mystery of mysteries — the first appearance of new beings on this Earth. Darwin describes the Galapágos Islands in 'The Voyage of the Beagle' 1838 Darwin drafts his first account of evolution You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. What did Darwin write in his secret notebook on evolution? (Clip from 'Darwin's Dangerous Idea', BBC Two) Home again, Darwin showed his specimens to fellow biologists and began writing up his travels. A powerful, elegant idea began to emerge in his mind. Darwin saw how transmutation happened. Animals more suited to their environment survive longer and have more young. Evolution occurred by a process he called 'Natural Selection'.

Darwin struggled with the idea; it contradicted his Christian world view. His grandfather had been ostracised for writing about transmutation and he feared the same fate. He decided to gather more evidence before going public. In the meantime, he made his name by publishing an account of his travels. I was very unwilling to give up my belief... Thus disbelief crept over me at a very slow rate, but was at last complete. Darwin describes his anguish over his ideas in his autobiography 1851 Darwin worries himself sick Charles Darwin, aged 40 In 1851, Darwin's favourite daughter, 10-year-old Anne, sickened and died. Darwin also grew ill, suffering long bouts of nausea. Illness had been a recurring feature of his life. He had spent long periods shut away at home, nursed by Emma. Historians offer many explanations for Darwin's symptoms. Some suggest tropical disease. Others argue his symptoms were largely psychosomatic, brought on by anxiety. Periods of sickness often coincided with stressful events. His health would grow worse when the time came to go public with his new theory.

The letter that lit a fire Darwin and Wallace independently came up with the theory of evolution by natural selection By summer 1858, Darwin had written a quarter of a million words on evolution – and published none. Then a letter compelled him to go public. Alfred Russel Wallace was an admirer of Darwin's. Inspired by the Beagle voyage, Wallace set off travelling. He independently arrived at a theory of natural selection and wanted Darwin's advice on how to publish. Darwin realised that if he didn't go public quickly then Wallace would take credit for the new ideas, but Wallace was abroad and uncontactable. This left Darwin in a moral quandary. As well as agonising over whether to speak out, he had to decide how to treat Wallace fairly. Darwin and Wallace rewrite the theory of evolution Darwin and Wallace presented their accounts of evolution at the same meeting Darwin finally went public with his groundbreaking theory of evolution by natural selection, while making sure that Wallace received some credit. Darwin's ideas were presented to Britain's leading Natural History body, the Linnean Society. After consulting with colleagues, Darwin agreed that extracts from his and Wallace's papers should be presented at the same meeting.

Wallace, on his return, accepted that Darwin had treated him fairly. But Darwin missed the presentation. A private tragedy struck: his son died of scarlet fever, aged just 18 months. I am quite prostrated, and can do nothing... I hardly care about it. Darwin's moment of glory was overshadowed by the death of his son Charles November 1859 Darwin publishes 'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection' Darwin's account of evolution polarised opinion Still wracked by doubt, Darwin finally published his new theory of evolution. It would become one of the most important books ever written. Darwin described writing it as like 'living in Hell'. He dreaded losing his reputation, as his grandfather Erasmus had. Charles did draw fierce criticism from the Church, and from some parts of the press. Many people were shaken by the book's key implication: that human beings were descended from apes, though Darwin only hinted at it. However, some were now willing to listen to evidence for evolution – especially from a leading figure like Darwin. One general law, leading to the advancement of all organic beings, namely, multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die.

Charles Darwin, from 'On the Origin of Species' June 1860 Evolution on trial at Oxford University You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. Andrew Marr re-enacts key moments from the Oxford Debate. (Clip from 'Darwin's Dangerous Idea', BBC Two) Darwin was reluctant to defend his ideas in public. It was left to others – notably a young biologist named Thomas Huxley – to take up the fight. In the 19th Century, scientific talks were popular entertainment and any debate about evolution was sure to draw crowds. Huxley's most famous clash came at meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. In what many saw as a key battle between science and God, Huxley went head to head with Bishop Samuel Wilberforce and his Biblical account of creation. Both sides claimed victory. The debate has become part of the Darwin legend and shows how his ideas shook Victorian society. Professor Huxley had said that he didn't see that it mattered much to a man whether his grandfather were an ape or no!

A witness recalls the Oxford University debate 1862 A worrying inheritance Charles Darwin and his son William, taken in 1842 Darwin wrote a warning about close relatives having children, buried in an obscure botanical textbook. He was already worried about his own marriage. Darwin and his cousin Emma had ten children and Charles was a devoted father. Yet the couple had now lost a son and two daughters, and nursed others through illness. Darwin knew that orchids were less healthy when they self-fertilised and worried that inbreeding within his own family may have caused problems. Yet when Darwin lobbied to add questions on cousin-marriage to the 1871 census he was refused. Queen Victoria had married her cousin, and Darwin was challenging another taboo. Nature thus tells us, in the most emphatic manner, that she abhors perpetual self-fertilisation. Darwin's work on the fertilisation of orchids led him to worry about inbreeding in his own family 1869 Survival of the fittest Darwin's Galapágos finches demonstrate the priniciple of 'Survival of the Fittest'. Each has adapted to its environment.

Origin of Species was a bestseller worldwide and went into multiple editions. With each new edition, Darwin strengthened his arguments. By responding to critics, he was able to build a more robust case. For the 5th edition he introduced the phrase 'survival of the fittest', borrowed from philosopher Herbert Spencer. The phrase has become shorthand for Darwin's idea. Unlike 'natural selection', it doesn't imply a divine being selecting anything. Darwin now described himself as an 'agnostic' – a term coined by Huxley. February 1871 Darwin publishes 'The Descent of Man' Darwin's account of human evolution made him an easy target for cartoonists, and his caricature was familiar to all More than a decade after his 'Origin of Species', Darwin found courage to publish ideas he had once only hinted at. In 'The Descent of Man' he presented an unequivocal account of human evolution. The book was another challenge to Christian orthodoxy. Yet in the decade since Darwin had gone public, his ideas had gained acceptance. Victorian society remained deeply divided about the idea that humans shared an ancestor with apes, but many respectable thinkers were now ‘Darwinists’. ...a small book of little moment...

I have little strength and feel very old. Darwin describes his final book: 'The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms' 19 April 1882 Darwin dies Darwin was buried at Westminster Abbey on 26 April 1882 Still troubled by ill health, Darwin worked until the end. He died a virtual recluse, surrounded by his wife and a few devoted friends. In his final months Darwin was tended by Emma, who had stood by him despite their differences in religious belief. Realising that his powers were fading, he described his local graveyard as 'the sweetest place on Earth'. Yet his followers, including the indomitable Huxley, had grander plans. He was buried at Westminster Abbey. Charles Darwin Buried In a Church. Hasn't Objected Yet. Charles Darwin Buried In a Church. Hasn't Objected Yet. Updated: November 25, 2011 â 7:28 PM EST fflam@phillynews.com Last week I was pleased to see that evolution and religion were the focus of one of the Inquirer’s most interesting new blogs – The Public’s Health .

One of the authors, Michael Yudell of the Drexel School of Public Health, visited Westminster Abbey, which is the site of Darwin’s grave. Just a few feet from Newton’s gravesite rests who I think it is safe to say is the most controversial figure in modern science: Charles Darwin, author of The Origin of Species and the father of the theory of evolution. That Darwin, a self-proclaimed agnostic, rests in such a prominent church not only honors his legacy but shows that science and faith are not necessarily mutually exclusive; they can coexist! Just a week after Darwin’s funeral, the Bishop of Carlisle, Henry Goodwin, delivered a memorial sermon in the Abbey during which he said: I think that the interment of the remains of Mr. Darwin in Westminster Abbey is in accordance with the judgment of the wisest of his countrymen… It would have been unfortunate if anything had occurred to give weight and currency to the foolish notion which some have diligently propagated, but for which Mr. Darwin was not responsible, that there is a necessary conflict between a knowledge of Nature and a belief in God. This does not represent a desire on the part of Darwin to compromise or recant or accept religion at the end of his life.

That’s clear from the wonderful little book, Charles Darwin, The Concise Story of an Extraordinary Man, by Tim Berra. “Ever the scientist, he gave up Christianity because ‘it is not supported by evidence’. Nor could he accept the notion that unbelievers such as his father, his brother and most of his close friends would be condemned to suffer forever in hell." Darwin was careful not to offend his wife, Emma, who was religious. But his burial in Westminster Abbey was, according to Berra, not Darwin’s choice or Emma’s. It was the request of twenty members of Parliament. Berra’s book also explains that the term “agnostic” was invented by Darwin’s friend and advocate Thomas Huxley. How does this relate to public health? Yudell explains that science and religion conflicts extend beyond the teaching of evolution into such important public health measures such as sex education, contraception, and use of the HPV vaccine.

Perhaps, he suggests, there's a lesson we Americans can learn from the British: One thing is clear from my visit to Westminster: those who in 1882 welcomed Darwin into the Abbey, despite the way his work challenged a religious worldview, were far more sophisticated in understanding the relationship between scientific thought and faith than we are here today. That may be the case, but I don't think this has anything to do with scientists. There's no evidence that British scientists are or ever were more accommodating toward religion that American ones. They have Richard Dawkins, after all. If there's less conflict over there, it's because the general public is less religious, or because religion has less influence on politics and public policy, or because their religious views are, on average, less literal-minded and dogmatic. Published:

Question: Where is Charles Darwin buried
Answer: Westminster Abbey